Anaheim Ducks: Trading Down from the 6th Overall Pick is a Viable Option
New Jersey Devils
Without looking too far into things, the Devil’s look like a team that could suit a Ducks trade strategy, by simply swapping each of their 1st round picks. The Ducks currently hold the #6th and #31st selections, while the Devils hold the #10th and #17th selections.
Perhaps jumping from the end of the first round to the middle of the table would seem like a bigger jump than from #10th to #6th and if that is the prevailing theory, then the Anaheim Ducks could easily sweeten the pot by adding their 3rd round selection. Why would either team do this?
From the Devil’s perspective, they get the chance to move up and select a guy they may really want. Perhaps they desperately want to draft a specific player for positional need, or perhaps they simply really like one of the players still available. Marco Rossi is one that springs to mind, as he played with four of the Devils prospects this past season at the 67’s.
With players such as Mysak and Neighbours, still likely to be on the board late in the first round, the Devils could conceivably still draft well in the first round overall. They would also get to add the 3rd round pick and hopefully select a player that would further fill out their roster in the future.
Most of the reasons the Devils could go for this trade would similarly go for the Ducks as well. So why do they think about trading down from the #6 selection and give up a lower round draft pick to do it?
Firstly, there is a good chance that one of Sanderson, Drysdale, Rossi, or Holtz will still be available with the 10th selection, thus for a team that is currently drafting simply for talent rather than position, either of these players would be more than acceptable.
If, however, those players have each been selected, the Ducks could still choose one of Jack Quinn, who scored 50 goals in the OHL this season, or Anton Lundell, whose steady play fits Bob Murrays player type. The Ducks would then also get the chance to draft a player with a greater chance of becoming a star at #17 than they would at #31st.
Hendrix Lapierre could be a steal if he can put his injury woes behind him. Noel Gunler has a big-time shot and ridiculous creativity that could pay dividends if he can add some grit to his game.
Dylan Holloway, Dawson Mercer, and even Kaiden Guhle are each players the Ducks would love to have but couldn’t get at #31st. Guhle, in particular, could be a sneaky chance at a top 10 selection in the same way that Broberg and Seider crept into the top 10 last year. If he’s available at #17, the Ducks couldn’t possibly say no.
In essence, the Anaheim Ducks are taking a slight risk that one of the players they might like won’t still be there at #10, but the pay off is the upside in potential they would get at #17 as opposed to #31st. Certain combinations of players would require different levels of development of course, but I think that the addition of potentially elite talent while not taking on any additional risk to their current set up is a move worth considering.